Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-07-03

lie smiled. SIS it because of the Eng
lishman Mel that you will not marry
me? He is dead. 1t is useless TO cling to
q dead man"
dead or alive, | love him with all my
heart; and if he is dead, it is at the hands
of your people, and his blood rises up be-
tween us"
His blood has sunk down into the
sand. He is dead, and | am glad that he
is dead. Once more, is that your last
word?"
at is"
VERY good. Then tell you that you
shall marry NE orr
cor what"
cor your uncle, the old man you love so
much, shall dier'
"What do you mean?" she said, in a
choked voice.
"What | say; no more and no less. Do
you think that I'll let one old mans lite
stand between me and my desire Never.
If You will not marry me, Silas Croft shall
be put upon his trial for attempted murder
and for treason within an hOur from this.
Within an hour and a half he shall be con-
demned TO die, and tomorrow at dawn he
shall die, by warrant under my hand. |
am c~ommandant here, with power of life
and death, and | tell you that he shall
certainly die-and mis- blood will be on
your head"
Bessie grasped at the tree for support.
"You dare not" she said; you dare not
murder IN innocent old man."
"Dare not" he answered; you must
understand me very i'll, Bessie Croft, when
you talk of what | dare not do for you.
There is nothing" he added, with a thrill
in his rich voice, that | dare not do to
gain you. Listen; promise to marry me
tomorrow morning. / will get q clergy
man here from WakkerstroOm, and your
uncle shall 20 free as air, though he is a
traitor to the land, and though he has tried
to shoot a hurgher after the declaration of
peace. Refuse, and he dies. Choose
now"
II have chosen" she answered with
passion. Frank Muller, perjured traitor
yes, murderer that you are, | will not
marry you?"
Very good, very good, Bessie; as you
will. But now N more thing. You
shall not say that / have not warned you.
If you persist in this your uncle shall die,
but you shall not escape me. You will
uot marry me? Well, even in this country,
where can do most things, | cannot force
you to do that. But | can force you to be
my wife in ali but the name without mar
riage, and this, when your uncle is stiff in
his bloody grave, / will do. You shall
have one more chance after the trial, and
one only. If you refuse he shall die, and
then, after his death, | shall take you
away by force, and in a weeks time you
will be glad enough to marry Inc to cover
up your shame, my pretty!'
You are a devil, Frank Muller, a wick
ed devil; but | will not be frightened into
dishonor by you. ! had rather kill myself.
l trust to God to help me. will have
nothing to do with yoa;u and she put her
hands before her face and burst into tears.
"You look lovely when you weep" he
said, with a laugh; tomorrow / shall be
able to kiss away your tears. As you will.
Here, your he shouted TO come men, who.
could be seen watching the progress of the
dying IRE, ''coms here"
Some of the men obeyed, and he pro-
ceeded to give instructions in the same
terms that he had given to the other two
men who were watchig old Silas, ordering
Bessie to be instantly incarcerated in the
corresponding little room on the other side
OF the wagon house, and kept strictly from
all communication with the outside world,
adding, however, these words:
Bid the burghers assemble in the wagon